I. Introduction to Audiology - Overview of Anatomy and Physiology of the
Auditory System
a. Provide a brief historical overview of the field of audiology.
b. Briefly describe the two major branches of clinical audiology.
c. Identify the major components of the peripheral and central auditory
systems.
d. Differentiate the conductive versus sensorineural hearing mechanisms
II. Pure-Tone Audiometry
a. Define pure-tone audiometry
b. Identify the major components of a pure-tone audiometer
c. Define dB HL. What is the advantage of using a reference of hearing level rather
than sound pressure level during clinical audiological testing?
d. What are the two goals of pure-tone threshold testing?
e. Briefly describe the three types of air-conduction earphones that can be used
clinically during pure-tone audiometry.
f. Describe the major components of ASHA’s 2005 guidelines for manual pure-tone
audiometry.
g. Define the two types of false responses that can occur during pure-tone
threshold audiometry.
h. Which frequencies are typically tested during pure-tone air-conduction
audiometry? When should low-frequency inter-octaves be tested?
i. Which order of frequencies is used during pure-tone air-conduction
audiometry?
j. Briefly describe the pure-tone audiogram.
k. What symbols are used for recording air-conduction thresholds on the
audiogram? Be sure to review ASHA’s 1990 guidelines for audiometric symbols.
l. When “no response” is obtained at equipment limits, how is this information
reported on the pure-tone audiogram?
m. How is the three-frequency pure-tone average calculated? How is the two-
frequency pure-tone average (Fletcher average) calculated? When is it used?
n. What is the purpose of obtaining pure-tone bone-conduction thresholds?
o. What are the two possible placements of the bone vibrator during bone-
conduction audiometry? Which placement is most popular?
p. Which frequencies are tested during pure-tone bone-conduction audiometry?
q. What symbols are used for recoding bone conduction thresholds on the
audiogram?
r. What are the three factors to consider when interpreting the audiogram
s. Classify the degrees of hearing loss.
t. Explain how comparison of air-and bone-conduction thresholds provides
information about gross site-of-lesion.
u. What difference between air- and bone-conduction thresholds suggests a
significant air-bone gap?
v. Describe the major types of hearing loss (conductive, sensorineural, mixed).
w. Identify the major audiometric configurations.
x. What are vibrotactile thresholds? When do these responses occur?
